Well it looks like my idea of blogging everyday has not happened. :/ Once I get into teacher mode, I forget about everything else! It's getting to be that time and I am very excited for what this new school year has in store for me!
A few of my co-workers and I have been doing a book discussion on Jan Richardson's Guided Reading: The Next Step, which most of us bought last year to help us launch guided reading in our rooms. We work at a private school so the push for guided reading is not like it is in public schools. I can't wait to start another year of assessing and grouping and watching my guys grow as readers.
I am also excited to be launching reading workshop in my room. I have played around with my reading block for many years and have not really liked any of them. I tried centers two years ago, and did my own version of a workshop where students participated in workstations. That went pretty well, but I didn't feel like my students were involved in authentic reading activities. So after MUCH research and reading (thanks to Grace! I don't think any of this would have been possible or would have happened if she wasn't there telling me all about her ideas) I have decided on trying a reading workshop, where the students....READ! The ENTIRE time!! I have gotten many ideas from Beth Newingham, Debbie Miller, Kathy Collins, and multiple blogs that I feel prepared and ready!
Right now I am working on my September long range goals. It's very hard deciding what to teach first. Do I want to introduce partner reading first thing? Or do I want to wait? Some many decisions!!! And seeing that it's 11:23 PM on a Tuesday night, you can tell my teaching life is beginning to consume my regular life...
I hope to be back soon to post about my classroom and to share my ideas, ramblings, things that were great, things you shouldn't try, and so on.
Happy Tuesday!
